Adjustable support for clotheslines and the like



A. ZETTS Sept. 27, 193s.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CLOTHESLINES AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 22,1957

ORNEY.

Patented Sept. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT CLOTHES- LINES AND' THE LIKE Andrew Zetts, Lakewood, O-hio Application October 22, 1937, Serial No. 170,455

2 Claims. (01. 211-11943') This invention relates to improvements in adjustable supports for clothes lines and the like. It is an object of the-invention to provide an adjustable support which may be raised or lowered whereby a clothes line, for the greater portion of its length, may be rendered more readily accessible from the ground, and. which is readily mountable upon a clothes line post or other vertical support.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable support so arranged that when it is supporting one end of a clothes line that is taut and substantially horizontal it may be lowered while the opposite end of the line remains stationary, without breaking the line or submitting it to undue tension.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable support for clothes lines wherein the end of the line held by the support may be readily set at any desired height without fear of the line end dropping after the support has once been set.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable support for clothes lines and the like which is relatively cheap and simple to manufacture, easy to install, and efficient in operation.

Having thus briefly and broadly stated some of the major objects and advantages of the invention I will now proceed to describe an embodiment thereof with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a front View of the invention.

Figures 2 and 3 are sections on the lines 22 and 3-3 respectively of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, I designates a rest which is substantially U-shaped in cross section and has laterally projecting flanges 2 which are secured by suitable fastening means 3 to a vertical post indicated at 4. The rest I is wedgeshaped longitudinally and has the lower extrem ity of its central outwardly projecting portion 1a spaced farthest from the post 4.

5 denotes a guide which is also U-shaped incross-section and has laterally projecting flanges 6 which are secured by fastening means 1 upon the central outwardly projecting portion la of the rest l. A transverse reinforcing plate 8 extends to the outer margins of the flange 15, and the fastening means 1 project through the said plate. Formed longitudinally through the central portion 5a of the guide 5 and extending throughout the entire height of the latter is a slot 9.

Mounted for vertical movement in the guide 5 between its center portion 5a and the reinforcing plate 8 is a slide Ill consisting of a central block Illa havinga side plate [b mounted on each side thereof. The plates lOb project above the top of the block Illa and also rearwardly to the reinforcing plate 8, whereas a space is formed between the latter and the back of the block 10a. Supported at its extremities by the plates 10b and extending between them is a roller H. Extending transversely through the sides of the guide adjacent the top of the latter is a bolt l2 having a double-flanged pulley l3 rotatably mounted thereon. Secured tovthe central block lea towards its upper extremity is one end of a chain I4 which extends upwards in proximity to the inner face of the roller l l, passes over the pulley I 3, and downwardly adjacent .the reinforcing plate 8, in front of a roller 2ilmounted lower rear extremities, and passes through a slot l5 formed through a base plate l6 mounted across the lower extremity of the guide 5 to close the interior of the latter. I! denotes a suitable cover plate mounted upon the upper extremity of the guide 5 to protect the pulley l3 and chain M from the elements.

Attached to the lower free extremity of the chain l4 beneath the guide 5 is a ring l8 or other suitable handle, and extending forwardly from the block ma through the slot 9 is a hook l9to receive one extremity of a clothes linenot shown.

When the ring I8 is pulled down obviously the slide Ill and hook l9 are raised. The vertically tapered rest I is of such inclination that it permits the lowering of one end of the linenot shownattached to the hook I!) even if the line is horizontal and taut when the hook is in raised position.

The slot l5 through which the chain I4 passes has a narrower extension l5a into which the chain is moved to hold it against upward movement. This is possible because the chain is formed of alternately wider and narrower portions. The latter may readily pass through the slot extension l5a while the Wider chain portions contact and are held by the adjacent margins of the base plate l6. Consequently the wider chain portion immediately beneath the slot extension E511, strikes and is held against upward movement by the plate l6.

While in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that the construction is susceptible to such alterations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable support of the character described comprising a rest adapted to be mounted upon a vertical surface, said rest having its outer face inclined to said surface whereby its lower extremity is spaced farther from said surface than its upper extremity, a guide upon said rest, a slide movable up and down said guide along an inclined path corresponding to the inclination of the rest, a hook adapted to receive one end of a clothes line projecting from the slide, a pulley in the guide, a chain extending from said slide, over the pulley and downwardly beneath the guide, a plate mounted upon the underside of the guide having a slot therethrough for the passage of said chain, and means holding said chain against accidental movement in all positions of the slide.

2. An adjustable support of the character described comprising a rest adapted to be mounted upon a vertical surface,'said rest being longitudinally and vertically wedge-shaped, a guide on said rest having its lower extremity spaced farther from the vertical surface than its upper extremity, said guide being longitudinally slotted, a slide mounted for movement in a substantially vertical path in said guide, a hook mounted on said slide and extending through the guide slot, a pulley mounted upon the guide adjacent its upper extremity, a chain extending from said slide and over said pulley, a bottom plate having a slot therethrough and a narrower extension of said slot, said chain consisting of a series of alternately narrower and wider portions, said chain passing through said slot and its narrower portion being adapted to enter the narrower slot extension, said chain being adapted to be moved whereby the slide is correspondingly moved along an inclined path parallel to the inclined outer face of the rest.

ANDREW ZETTS. 

